veteran reserve corps
Invalid Corps Poster
Surprise!
We didn’t expect to have this, but as a surprise bonus to all of our fans and supporters, AND a way to share and show off your Invalid Corps pride, we have a brand new film poster! You can download your copy here:
https://invalidcorpsfilm.nrbrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/INVALID-CORPS-Poster-Design.pdf
Best,
Day Al-Mohamed and the Invalid Corps Team
Who’s in your family? #CivilWar #History Comes Home
This it! We’re down to the last 24 hours of the Kickstarter for the “Invalid Corps and the Battle of Fort Stevens,” if you haven’t, please take a moment to go donate. If you have, thank you for helping us bring this amazing story to the screen.
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or these last few hours we’re asking you to please pass along word of this project – Email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…even just word-of-mouth. We’d love to have as many people as possible be aware of this; not just because of the crowdfunding but because of the many stories out there that still haven’t been heard.
The Civil War is the story of our country’s first major internal challenge and it is a history of our country’s people. It is that latter that both surprises and elates us. It captures the imagination of historians, genealogists, reenactors, and families. This isn’t just a story about long ago battles and famous generals, but a story about families and individual people and their choices of how to live, and what they were willing to die for. The Invalid Corps and the Battle of Fort Stevens documentary film has been couched as a lost disability and veterans’ history but it is more than that. It could be your family history too.
I had a discussion with author and musician Shawn Humphrey about this project and out of the blue he says, “I think one of my ancestors may have been a part of that.” After a bit of research it comes to light that James Mulvaney was listed as “absent/sick” in Washington, DC on March, 16, 1864. Mulvaney was not formally mustered for the 9th Veterans Reserve Corp. until August 16, 1864, but what is clear is that he was present in Washington, DC when the attack occurred. Now Shawn is on a hunt to discover what his ancestor may have been doing at the time. Was he a part of the defense of the city? Was James Mulvaney actually on the walls at Fort Stevens?
Perhaps the biggest surprise came last week when a family member, my uncle and his wife, sent me a package with information about her great great grandfather:
Meet Jonathan Lyman of Company K of the 8th Regiment of the Invalid Corps (Veteran Reserve Corps).*
So yes, even I, who was born more than 10,000 miles away, on a different continent, have a connection to the Invalid Corps. 🙂
This documentary is called, The Invalid Corps and the Battle of Fort Stevens, but in truth, it is about the men themselves and all of our connections to this history. Veterans’ stories and disability history seem sanitized, academic terms for what this really is: family history.
So today, this last day of our crowdfunding, please help share the message and spread the word this one last time and ask people, “Who is in your family?”
The answer may surprise you.
*Special Thanks to Uncle Gary and Aunt Erma for sending such wonderful detailed information about Jonathan Lyman!
Soldiers’ Stories: Sergeants Durgin and Wray
For William Durgin of Maine, April 20, 1865 was a typical day. He was garrisoned at the Camp Frye Barracks in Washington, D.C., assigned with the 10th Veterans Reserve Corps. His typical duties with the regiment consisted of nothing more than garrison duty after suffering from rheumatism in his arms and being struck in the ankle with a cannonball during the amphibious landing at Fernadina, Florida in 1862. Yet, when he received his orders for that day, they looked far different from his daily duties. The order read as follows:
Special Order No. 88
Pursuant to orders from Headquarters, 1st Brigade Veteran Reserve Corps requiring four First Sergeants should be selected with reference to their age, length of service and good soldierly conduct for escort duty to the remains of President Lincoln to Springfield, Illinois.
1st Sergeant William W. Durgin of Company F 10th Regiment V.R.C. is hereby detailed for that duty and will report to Capt. McCamly 9th Regiment Vet. Res. Corps at Camp Frye at 9:00 o’clock A.M. this day.
By command ofMajor George Bowers Commanding Regiment
From his clerical duties at Camp Frye Barracks, Durgin’s place in history rose greatly as he became one of Lincoln’s pallbearers, traveling across the nation with the casket. His war-record carries on his roll call for April 1865 “Absent – on escort duty with remains of President Lincoln.”
While Durgin seems to be a typical soldier offered the honor as a token of great luck, in many ways the assignment was and did boost the prestige of one of the most neglected regiments in the U.S. Army: the Veterans Reserve Corps (VRC).
Created in 1863, the VRC started as the Invalids Corps, and began as a project to give disabled veterans like Durgin a second chance at active service. Yet their corps did not go unscathed. Other soldiers derided the corps as a group of cowards and rejects; the initials of the Invalids Corps matched a stamp of the Quartermaster’s Department that stood for “Inspected – Condemned.” Soon after, to boost the morale of recruits and entice more volunteers, it was renamed “Veterans Reserve Corps.” The disabled veterans that re-enlisted were assigned various rear-echelon duties, ranging from guard duty to censoring mail.
To honor one of the corps members as a pallbearer presented in a greater sense a place for disabled soldiers in American military history alongside regular soldiers in memorializing the Civil War, and recognizes the potential of disabled veterans, or civilians, as capable individuals that can still contribute despite their sacrifice.
Enlistment in the corps did not always entail monotonous, clerical duties. For Sergeant William Wray, fate would lead to a reprisal of his combat duties. After losing his right eye and parts of his nose at Fredericksburg, Wray joined the 1st Veterans Reserve Corps. While stationed at Fort Stevens, he miraculously found himself at the center of a surprise attack by a corps of 10,000 men led by Jubal Early. In the midst of battle, while a number of his VRC comrades were confused and scattered, Wray rallied his men to the defenses during a critical attack, and helped prevent the fort from falling. Although his actions did not go recognized until much later, with some speculation regarding the fact that he was a member of the undesirable VRC, Wray was eventually awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions.
After the Civil War, programs for injured soldiers and disabled veterans returned around World War I, when the massive amounts of casualties and disabling injuries permitted for the resurrection of the Veterans Reserve Corps. In the age of modern warfare, disabled veterans have been able to carve a niche for themselves with the Continuation on Active Duty program, allowing wounded soldiers to serve their country within the limits of their abilities. Thus, heroes like Sergeants Durgin and Wray show what makes a soldier a great leader and a hero is not how well or straight a soldier stands, but what a soldier stands for in fighting for their country.
Jonathan van Harmelen is currently studying American History at Pomona College, and has conducted research with Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. He also works at Pomona College as manager for the Orchestra and as assistant to the History Department. He enjoys collecting military antiques, playing drums, and attempting to learn French, German, and Dutch all at once.
Please don’t forget we are in the middle of our Kickstarter to raise funds to tell the story of the Invalid Corps; of soldiers with disabilities who continued to serve:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dayalmohamed/the-civil-war-invalid-corps-and-the-battle-of-fort
#Disabilities in the Invalid Corps
When talking about the Invalid Corps one of the first questions that usually arises is who were these men? What kind of disabilities did they have? The question is answered (in detail) in General Orders, No. 212 from the War Department, Adjutant-General’s Office (July 9, 1863):
In executing the provisions of General Orders, No. 105, from this Department, in regard to the selection of men for the Invalid Corps, Medical Inspectors, Surgeons in charge of Hospitals, Camps, Regiments, or of Boards of Enrollment, Military Commanders, and all others required to make the physical examination of men for the Invalid Corps, will be governed in their decisions by the following list of qualification and disqualifications for admission into this Corps:
Physical infirmities that incapacitate Enlisted Men for Field Service, but do not disqualify them for service in the Invalid Corps.
1. Epilepsy, if the seizures do not occur more frequently than once a month, and have not impaired the mental faculties.
2. Paralysis, if confined to one upper extremity.
3. Hypertrophy of the heart, unaccompanied with valvular lesion. Confirmed nervous debility or excitability of the heart, with palpitation, great frequency of the pulse, and loss of strength.
4. Impeded respiration following injuries of the chest, pneumonia, or pleurisy. Incipient consumption.
5. Chronic dyspepsia or chronic diarrhoea, which has long resisted treatment. Simple enlargement of the liver or spleen, with tender or tumid abdomen
6. Chronic disorders of the kidneys or bladder, without manifest organic disease, and which have not yielded to treatment. Incontinence of urine; mere frequency of micturition does not exempt.
7. Decided feebleness of constitution, whether natural or acquired. Soldiers over fifty, and under eighteen years of age, are proper subjects for the Invalid Corps.
8. Chronic rheumatism, if manifested by positive cl???ge of structure, wasting or contraction of the muscles of the affected limb, or puffness or distortion of the joints.
9. Pain, if accompanied with manifest derangement of the general health, wasting of a limb, or other positive sign of disease.
10. Loss of sight of right eye ??? partial loss of sight of both eyes, or permanent diseases of either eye, affecting the integrity or use of the other eye, vision being impaired to such a degree clearly to incapacitate for field service. Loss of sight of left eye, or incurable diseases or imperfections of that eye, not affecting the use of the right eye, nor requiring medical treatment, do not disqualify for field service.
11. Myopia, if very decided or depending upon structural change of the eye. Hemeralopia, if confirmed.
12. Purulent otorrhoea; partial deafness, if in a degree sufficient to prevent hearing words of command as usually given.
13. Stammering, unless excessive and confirmed.
14. Chronic aphonia, which has long resisted treatment, the voice remaining too feeble to give an order or an alarm, but yet sufficiently distinct for intelligible conversation.
15. Incurable deformities of either jaw, sufficient to impede but not to prevent mastication or deglutition. Loss of a sufficient number of teeth to prevent proper mastication of food.
16. Torticollis, if of long standing and well marked.
17. Hernia; abdomen grossly protuberant; excessive obesity.
18. Internal hemorrhoids. Fistula in ???no, if extensive or complicated, with visceral disease. Prolapsus ani.
19. Stricture of the uretha.
20. Loss or complete atrophy of both testicles from any cause: permanent retraction of one or both testicle with in the inguinal canal.
21. Varicocele and cirsocele, if excessive, or painful; simple sarcocele, if not excessive nor painful.
22. Loss of arm, forearm, hand, thigh, leg or foot.
23. Wounds or injuries of the head, neck, chest, abdomen or back, that have impaired the health, strength or efficiency of the soldier.
24. Wounds, fractures, injuries, tumors, atrophy of a limb or chronic diseases of the joints or bones, that would impede marching, or prevent continuous muscular exertion.
25. Anchylosis of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee or ankle joint.
26. Irreducible dislocation of the shoulder, elbow, wrist or ankle joint, in which the bones have accommodated themselves to their new relations.
27. Muscular or cutaneous contractions from wounds or burns, in a degree sufficient to prevent useful motion of a limb.
28. Total loss of a thumb, loss of ungual phalanx of right thumb; permanent contraction or extension of either thumb.
29. Total loss of any two fingers of the same hand.
30. Total loss of index finger of right hand; loss of second and third phalanges of index finger of right hand, if the stump is tender or the motion of the first phalanx is impaired. Loss of the third phalanx does not incapacitate for field-service.
31. Loss of the second and third phalanges of all the fingers of either hand.
32. Permanent extension or permanent contraction of any finger, except the little finger: all the fingers adherent or united.
33. Total loss of either great toe; loss of any three toes on the same foot; all the toes joined together.
34. Deformities of the toes, if sufficient to prevent marching.
35. Large, flat, ill-shaped feet, that do not come within the designation of talipes valgus, but are sufficiently malformed to prevent marching.
36. Varicose veins of interior extremities, if large and numerous, having clusters of knots, and accompanied with chronic swellings.
37. Extensive, deep and adherent cicatrices of lower extremities.
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An Invalid Corps Song?
In 1862, General Order No. 105, of the U.S. War Department created the Invalid Corps. A year later, its name was changed to the Veteran Reserve Corps. This popular song written by Frank Wilder gives a good idea of what the sentiment was towards these men at the time. The song tells the story of a young man who tried to join the Union army but was rejected because of his various ailments. The rest of the song basically makes fun of the invalid corps and the men who were exempted from front line duty. One wonders how much it had to do with the eventual name change.
This version is from the 97th Regimental String Band. According to their website, the 97th Regimental String Band recreates an actual string band of the Civil War Era singing a wide variety of traditional American songs in authentic, “living history” style. The 97th Regimental String Band is a eudaemoniousconcatenation of jocular harmonists that provides both vocal and instrumental music of the 1800’s. They have performed throughout the United States at many of the major theme parks, festivals, civil war reenactments and special concerts. Downright awesome. I may have to pick up a couple of their albums.
LYRICS
I wanted much to go to war,
And went to be examined;
The surgeon looked me o’er and o’er,
My back and chest he hammered.Said he,
“You’re not the man for me,
Your lungs Are much affected,
And likewise both your eyes are cock’d,
And otherwise defected.”
CHORUS
So, now I’m with the Invalids,
And cannot go and fight, sir!
The doctor told me so, you know,
Of course it must be right, sir!
While I was there a host of chaps
For reasons were exempted,
Old “pursy”, he was laid aside,
To pass he had attempted.
The doctor said, “I do not like
Your corporosity, sir!
You’ll “breed a famine” in the camp
Wherever you might be, sir!”
CHORUS
There came a fellow, mighty tall,
A “knock-kneed overgrowner”,
The Doctor said, “I ain’t got time
To take and look you over.”
Next came along a little chap,
Who was ’bout two foot nothing,
The Doctor said, “You’d better go
And tell your marm you’re coming!”
CHORUS
Some had the ticerdolerreou,
Some what they call “brown critters”,
And some were “lank and lazy” too,
Some were too “fond of bitters”.
Some had “cork legs” and some “one eye”,
With backs deformed and crooked,
I’ll bet you’d laugh’d till you had cried,
To see how “cute” they looked.
CHORUS
CDVs of Soldiers with Disabilities
This is a repost from my personal website from October 6, 2014. I never did find an answer to the mystery of who these men were but hope by placing them here, there may be a chance that someone will see them and recognize them. The images are old CDV pictures from auction sites.
The first is titled: Civil War Soldier CDV Dwarf Rare Photo Rifle Armed Pic
The note on the auction website says: “Very unusual oversized cabinet CDV of a dwarf with a long beard, dressed in uniform with kepi and holding a gun. The picture was taken by Griffin & Watkins, which operated in Princeton, Kentucky during the latter part of the 19th century. Back of the card reads ”Portraits in Oil, Pastille & Crayon Old Pictures Copied and Enlarged.” Image very sharp. Card in superb condition. Measures 4” x 6”. Very interesting image.”
The second is titled: Civil war unidentified midget dwarf union soldier officer cdv photograph:
If you have any additional information on either of these men, please contact me.
Excursion to Fort Stevens
Fort Stevens was part of the ring of 68 forts built around Washington, D.C. in the early days of the Civil War (1861-ish). From the National Park Service: “Fort Stevens, now partially restored, was built to defend the approaches to Washington from the 7th Street Pike (now Georgia Avenue) which was then the main thoroughfare from the north into Washington.”
It is the key point in my documentary where Confederate General Jubal A. Early, in the summer of 1864, with about 15,000 troops comes knocking on the front door to strike at a defenseless Washington City. So…we went out to get some footage of what it looked like now.
The Beginning
The Story page tells you about the Invalid Corps, who they were and what they did; it tells you about the film. What it doesn’t tell you about is how this film project began. There is so much involved in any origin story, but the best place to begin, I guess, is at the beginning. 🙂 It all started about five months ago with a film class and a blog post.
I love learning new things and as I’ve spent the last few years writing fiction I thought it might be an interesting aside to learn about writing for film. So I signed up for a video production class with Professor Adele Schmidt through Docs in Progress. What exactly is a production class? It means that the class was designed to include “hands-on opportunities to learn core filmmaking skills, including story development, video recording, and editing.” And the part that really excited me was this:
Participants will work individually on a video project (2:30 min. max) of their own choice (social media video, trailer, PSA, portrait of a person) combining existing and/or new footage such as interview and B-roll with stills and archival footage. Participants will use pre-existing media and/or record new media (interview, B-roll) with their own camcorder. Participants will use their own laptop and editing software (Final Cut Pro X preferred) to edit the project.
I would get to actually make a movie!
Of course, then came the problem, how does a blind person make a film? I wasn’t sure and will admit, it worried me. It worried me enough to convince my wife to take the course with me – just in case. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, I needed her assistance less than I anticipated. Yes, there were things with focus and getting shots “just right” that were challenging but I discovered that I could craft a story, direct exactly what kinds of shots and action I wanted, and be able to edit and organize what materials I had into a final, finished product.
It was exciting, it was thrilling, and it was fun.
But there’s more to the story. Why the Invalid Corps? The story of the Invalid Corps and their creation during the Civil War (though I am aware of the Invalid Corps of the Revolutionary War as well), came up as part of a discussion with my wife. As an archivist and librarian for a local disability non-profit, she provided content for their “Throw-back Thursday” blog posts, usually focused around some interesting and disability-related fact or image. A few months earlier she had written a few paragraphs about these soldiers and I couldn’t let it go.
The story was simple and yet there was so much to it: The Civil War generated thousands of casualties. It wasn’t unusual to have a 30% mortality rate after a battle. And of course this also created more soldiers with disabilities. Many of us are familiar with Civil War stories of the injuries and amputations that many of the soldiers suffered…60,000 of them in fact, but what happened after? “Federals and Confederates alike worried about the immoral and idle behavior that would arise if disabled soldiers did not return to work and provide for themselves.”
These men that were too disabled to return to their post but entirely too able to get into trouble with women and wine and cards. Or such was the concern. The answer came in 1862 when the Union’s medical officers decided to put “convalescent wounded and feeble men” to work around the hospital. It worked so well, a year later General Order No. 105, of the U.S. War Department made it official and thus was created, the Invalid Corps.
It is a story about disability that should be told, not just from a historical standpoint but to understand and recognize the efforts of men and women in uniform today.
“There are lots of people with disabilities who want to serve their country, and can serve…they may not be able to do exactly everything everyone else can do, but they can do within their abilities, and they can provide a lot of support.”
– Senator Tom Harkin (2013)
The Army’s Continue on Active Duty (COAD) program is putting military men with clear, visible disabilities back into combat, and retaining and retraining others for other forms of active duty. As of June 2013, sixty-nine amputees have returned to active duty. Also of note, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, a 100-year old, 47,000-man (and woman) garrison is now commanded by Colonel Gregory D. Gadson. Colonel Gadson is a double-amputee. Perhaps even more impressive is Marine Corporal Garret S. Jones’ recovery and redeployment to a combat zone after losing a leg.
I want the world to know what happened that summer in 1864. I want to tell this story about disability, and sacrifice, about honor, and devotion to duty.
And to leave you with something a little fun, the director of the movie Battleship, Nick Berg, was so impressed with Colonel Gadson, he even gave him a role in the film. Below is a clip from Colonel Gadson where he talks about returning to active duty (and a few snippets from the film too).